Nobody expected a significant drop-off from Quan Martin this season. Most fans and experts anticipated a genuine breakout campaign from the safety, and the Washington Commanders made him the alpha dog on the backend after letting Jeremy Chinn walk in free agency.
Sadly, these increased responsibilities and added pressure have had a detrimental impact on Martin's development. He looks like a shell of the player who progressed so encouragingly last season. Judging by his diminished reps against the Miami Dolphins — the first game in which head coach Dan Quinn took over defensive play-calling from Joe Whitt Jr. — it's clear that patience is wearing thin.
The next six games come with massive long-term ramifications for Martin. His hopes of getting an extension from the Commanders are long gone. If his alarming regression continues, general manager Adam Peters could find a more dependable option to take his place in the starting lineup.
Commanders give Quan Martin slight vote of confidence, but what comes next is more important
All eyes were on the Commanders' post-bye-week depth chart to see if Martin's status would change, especially with Will Harris set to return from injury. The former Illinois standout got a reprieve, being named in the same spot he's occupied for the last two seasons. But that does nothing to diminish the precariousness of his situation.
Darnell Savage Jr. is playing more and playing better. Harris's experience should be an asset, and Jeremy Reaves also carried more favor with Quinn in Madrid. That means Martin enters Sunday Night Football versus the Denver Broncos with razor-thin margins, and any more inconsistencies will not be looked upon favorably.
Perhaps this was a vote of confidence in Martin. Depth charts can be shaky; one only has to look at the current running back dynamic to see that Jacory Croskey-Merritt shouldn't be RB1, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. shouldn't be RB3. Either way, the stakes couldn't be much higher for the 2023 second-round pick in his quest to cement his status as a part of the team's plans.
Martin is in Year 3 now. He's got enough experience to know how things will play out without a strong end to the season. Aside from a few cornerstone pieces, everyone is on notice. That's what happens when a team vastly underachieves, regardless of the mitigating circumstances attached.
The Broncos will know how much Martin is struggling. They'll be actively targeting him as a weak link, and how he responds will go a long way to determining the overall outcome. But if he starts slowly, and the costly individual errors that have blighted his campaign to date crop up again, Quinn won't hesitate to take him out.
That should provide Martin with the urgency needed. However, fans aren't holding out much hope at this juncture.